We are watching with anticipation the plight of farmers across our nation. We see scenes of dairy farmers having to toss out millions of gallons of milk because the demand is not there, people are concerned that there will not be enough meat for people to eat because of outbreaks of the Covid-19 virus at meat processing plants, the concerns go on and on.
That being said, I've also noticed that people in our small community have stepped forward as much as they can to purchase their needed foods from our community's local farms. I've also noticed that gardens are popping up where they may not have before and the sale and demand to own chickens is astronomical. People are realizing that they need to return to a time where we grew our own food or depended on the local farm to provide the needed daily sustenance.
As many of you know, I've had egg laying chickens for over 5 years now and I think of the countless number of eggs that these birds have provided to me and to those who have purchased from me over the years. I've enjoyed gathering the eggs each day and the thought of someday being brave enough to raise chickens for meat just seemed a foreign and scary thing.
All of that changed this week on Wednesday when a box of 50 peeping cornish cross chicks arrived at our local post office.
These chicks were ordered far in advance of the pandemic so I had no problem with supply at the hatchery and I split the cost with a friend who also wanted to raise meat birds (insider tip - it's cheaper (cheeper? lol) to purchase in larger amounts.
I've never ordered that many chicks at one time so the noise on the way home was crazy loud as the chicks were chirping. Chicks can survive after hatching for a max of 3 days with no food or water, but after that amount of time, they really start complaining. A strange side effect is that I literally feel pain when I hear their distressed chirps. I can't explain it except to say that it must be like a human mother hearing her child cry when it is hungry, etc.
I arrived home with my share of the chicks (20 to be exact with an extra 2 tossed in by the hatchery to make sure that I received what I ordered alive), set up their brooder with heat lamp, water and food and gently removed them from their shipping box into their new home for the next couple of weeks.
I'm happy to say that they instantly calmed their loud chirping and immediately noticed the food and water. The noise was reduced to gentle purring (yes, chickens purr) and soft contented peeps.
The birds are adorable right now, little portly fluffy yellow bodies and the thought of turning them into meat in 8 short weeks seems a bit terrifying but I also know that the meat from a local farmer or the store has to come from somewhere. I also understand that these birds will quickly grow from cute and fluffy to smelly and feathery.
As our environment changes with the search for sources of meat and other produce, I encourage all of us to consider raising our own food or searching out one of the many farms in our community who sell all different types of meat and produce. We are in the heart of melon country after all. Stay well my friends.
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Things Have Gotten a bit Ducky Around Here
Quarantine has been very interesting to say the least. I've found my days checking work email, collecting eggs, staying on top of the farm chores during breaks, returning work phone calls, delivering supplies to friends and family in need, working odd hours, it's definitely been an adjustment as I know it has been for so many of you.
With Easter on the horizon, and today being the Christian holiday of Good Friday, I thought it only fitting to bring to you the successful story of the four ducks that recently hatched on the farm.
If you have followed the Purple Shamrock Farm Facebook (or Instagram) page, you know that I have tried unsuccessfully three times this year to hatch duck eggs. Several of the eggs almost made it to hatch and, for whatever reason, just did not survive to come out of the egg.
I was about to give up when I decided to try once more. As it stood, I put these duck eggs into the incubator on March 10th, a few days in advance of the stay at home order. On March 13th, when we knew that we would not be working in our office any longer, I held out hope that maybe, just maybe these eggs would bring some hope in the days following.
As an unexpected blessing, from having to work from home, I was able to stay on top of the humidity this time and after candling the eggs after a week, I discovered that all four of the eggs had development in them. I knew the chances of all four making it weren't great, but I was very hopeful that at least one of the eggs may make it to hatching.
Fast forward to two and a half weeks into their incubation period and I candled the eggs again to find that all four were still very much alive and developing. They were going to make it to the famous "lock down" period. I knew it was selfish of me to want all four to hatch, but I also knew how much I needed (and those following the journey through social media) needed the joy that would come with four little ducklings making their way into the world.
Ducks usually take 28 days to hatch (give or take a day just like any baby delivery) and on the 26th day I noticed that all four eggs had little "pips" in them. I was beyond overjoyed.
I also learned during their hatching process that ducks take a lot longer to come out of their shells because it was 48 hours later that the first duck emerged from its shell.
The "parents" of these eggs were supposed to be Rouen ducks which are a breed of domesticated Mallard duck. Imagine my surprise when the duckling which emerged was not the traditional black and cream color but yellow!
Intrigued, I reached out to my fellow poultry enthusiasts who said that the parents could have looked purebred, but that there were genes recessed that brought some unusual ducklings to the mix.
After the 29th day, the final duckling of the four eggs emerged and I was thrilled to have two Rouen colored ducklings (the black and cream color) and two yellow ducklings (most likely will be white).
The shells now lay empty as the ducklings happily enjoy their hatch mates and will be experiencing their first swim in a week or so.
I think we can all be reminded that even in the midst of uncertainty and fear that there is new life happening all around us. Be sure to find some of that joy as we go through this time together. A very Happy Easter to all of you.
With Easter on the horizon, and today being the Christian holiday of Good Friday, I thought it only fitting to bring to you the successful story of the four ducks that recently hatched on the farm.
If you have followed the Purple Shamrock Farm Facebook (or Instagram) page, you know that I have tried unsuccessfully three times this year to hatch duck eggs. Several of the eggs almost made it to hatch and, for whatever reason, just did not survive to come out of the egg.
I was about to give up when I decided to try once more. As it stood, I put these duck eggs into the incubator on March 10th, a few days in advance of the stay at home order. On March 13th, when we knew that we would not be working in our office any longer, I held out hope that maybe, just maybe these eggs would bring some hope in the days following.
As an unexpected blessing, from having to work from home, I was able to stay on top of the humidity this time and after candling the eggs after a week, I discovered that all four of the eggs had development in them. I knew the chances of all four making it weren't great, but I was very hopeful that at least one of the eggs may make it to hatching.
Fast forward to two and a half weeks into their incubation period and I candled the eggs again to find that all four were still very much alive and developing. They were going to make it to the famous "lock down" period. I knew it was selfish of me to want all four to hatch, but I also knew how much I needed (and those following the journey through social media) needed the joy that would come with four little ducklings making their way into the world.
Ducks usually take 28 days to hatch (give or take a day just like any baby delivery) and on the 26th day I noticed that all four eggs had little "pips" in them. I was beyond overjoyed.
I also learned during their hatching process that ducks take a lot longer to come out of their shells because it was 48 hours later that the first duck emerged from its shell.
The "parents" of these eggs were supposed to be Rouen ducks which are a breed of domesticated Mallard duck. Imagine my surprise when the duckling which emerged was not the traditional black and cream color but yellow!
Intrigued, I reached out to my fellow poultry enthusiasts who said that the parents could have looked purebred, but that there were genes recessed that brought some unusual ducklings to the mix.
After the 29th day, the final duckling of the four eggs emerged and I was thrilled to have two Rouen colored ducklings (the black and cream color) and two yellow ducklings (most likely will be white).
The shells now lay empty as the ducklings happily enjoy their hatch mates and will be experiencing their first swim in a week or so.
I think we can all be reminded that even in the midst of uncertainty and fear that there is new life happening all around us. Be sure to find some of that joy as we go through this time together. A very Happy Easter to all of you.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Quarantine on the Farm
No surprise that we all have been a bit "cooped up" recently with the novel coronavirus, Covid-19. Though it has made commerce interesting when headed into town, I've decided to look at it as an opportunity to grow and learn some new things.
I've also been validated in having a farm, and knowing some of the lost arts; sewing, canning, growing your own food, baking and cooking have their definite perks in a stay-at-home period of time.
Shortly after the local stores were wiped out from toilet paper, you guys, I still don't understand that one, people next turned to emptying the shelves of milk, eggs and bread as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
It didn't take long before I began being contacted by people, who I hadn't heard from in years, asking the popular question, "do you have any eggs?"
Once again, the mighty chicken shines through.
If there has to be a time of the year where there has been a run on eggs in the stores and they are out, spring and early summer is the prime time for laying hens in the flock.
I've been fortunate that there have been over 20 eggs collected every day the past few days and I've been able to fill most orders within a few days. That being said, the eggs in my henhouse are disappearing almost as fast as they can be washed and packed into cartons.
I've also discovered something else in this whole time of sparsity. The hatcheries that usually send chicks out to a few folks every spring and fall season are now running low on their supplies of laying hens and chickens. It appears that we are returning to a time that used to exist in the past. People are turning back to being self-sufficient and learning how to grow their own food again.
I'm fortunate to be able to speak to my mom and dad every few days and as I was talking to my mom the other day I mentioned that I believe that people will be growing more gardens this year than they ever have. Perhaps because they have extra time from being quarantined at home, but maybe perhaps that they realize that they could provide for their own families and themselves by growing the food right in their backyards.
Back in 1917, growing gardens and keeping chickens was considered patriotic. Times were tough, the economy was suffering and people were encouraged to grow their own food.
Fast forward to 2020 and I believe that we are about to enter another era of people realizing that we can't "always get what we want" (to quote a Rolling Stones song) and we can fix this by growing a small garden or keeping a few hens around to provide fresh eggs.
None of us know when this whole event will truly be finished, but I believe that if we use this time to better ourselves and our community - we will make it through this. The experts say that it takes 21 days to keep a habit and I know that we will have this amount of time in this event if not more.
Me, I plan on growing more chickens and adding to my flock this year. You might even find me with a successful garden this season. Stay Strong Seymour - we can do this!
I've also been validated in having a farm, and knowing some of the lost arts; sewing, canning, growing your own food, baking and cooking have their definite perks in a stay-at-home period of time.
Shortly after the local stores were wiped out from toilet paper, you guys, I still don't understand that one, people next turned to emptying the shelves of milk, eggs and bread as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.
It didn't take long before I began being contacted by people, who I hadn't heard from in years, asking the popular question, "do you have any eggs?"
Once again, the mighty chicken shines through.
If there has to be a time of the year where there has been a run on eggs in the stores and they are out, spring and early summer is the prime time for laying hens in the flock.
I've been fortunate that there have been over 20 eggs collected every day the past few days and I've been able to fill most orders within a few days. That being said, the eggs in my henhouse are disappearing almost as fast as they can be washed and packed into cartons.
I've also discovered something else in this whole time of sparsity. The hatcheries that usually send chicks out to a few folks every spring and fall season are now running low on their supplies of laying hens and chickens. It appears that we are returning to a time that used to exist in the past. People are turning back to being self-sufficient and learning how to grow their own food again.
I'm fortunate to be able to speak to my mom and dad every few days and as I was talking to my mom the other day I mentioned that I believe that people will be growing more gardens this year than they ever have. Perhaps because they have extra time from being quarantined at home, but maybe perhaps that they realize that they could provide for their own families and themselves by growing the food right in their backyards.
Back in 1917, growing gardens and keeping chickens was considered patriotic. Times were tough, the economy was suffering and people were encouraged to grow their own food.
Fast forward to 2020 and I believe that we are about to enter another era of people realizing that we can't "always get what we want" (to quote a Rolling Stones song) and we can fix this by growing a small garden or keeping a few hens around to provide fresh eggs.
None of us know when this whole event will truly be finished, but I believe that if we use this time to better ourselves and our community - we will make it through this. The experts say that it takes 21 days to keep a habit and I know that we will have this amount of time in this event if not more.
Me, I plan on growing more chickens and adding to my flock this year. You might even find me with a successful garden this season. Stay Strong Seymour - we can do this!
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